Arena negotiation discussion. UPD: Flames release their proposal

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by psyang

I went to the Stamps-Lions game a couple weeks back, and was surprised to see "Bill Smith for Mayor" flash a few times on the digital screens along the west sidelines. Well, not surprised per se, but it seemed overly brazen to me.

I wouldn't get too fussed. People can pay for ads, even at football games.

[442scotty]

Originally Posted by SweepToTheCup

....but Brett Wilson (his old partner at First Energy) also thinks the city is being unfriendly to businesses...even though he isn't interested in getting into politics. The papers seemed to eat that one up.

I am somewhat of a fan of Brett Wilson and I have to agree with the comments he made this time around

[troutman]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I wouldn't get too fussed. People can pay for ads, even at football games.

Can anyone? CSEC owns the Stamps.

[Torture]

Originally Posted by SweepToTheCup

....but Brett Wilson (his old partner at First Energy) also thinks the city is being unfriendly to businesses...even though he isn't interested in getting into politics. The papers seemed to eat that one up.

Lol, not to mention he's got an ownership stake in Nashville. Biased much? Of course he wants to city to pay for the thing.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by troutman

Can anyone? CSEC owns the Stamps.

No kidding.

I'm sure they will take anyone's ad money.

[442scotty]

Here’s a thought... seeing as how the Flames are now receiving equalization money Gary Bettman was probably obligated as part of his job to come in and stir the pot and is pushing the team behind the scenes to up their revenue stream aka “get a new arena or bad things might happen” lol

[sureLoss]

Andre Chabot says if he is elected he will find another private investor(s) besides the Flames to build the arena:

https://www.metronews.ca/news/calgar...ded-arena.html

The outgoing Ward 10 councillor and mayoral candidate said if elected mayor, he’d pull together a committee that would go looking for other private investors to get some sort of arena facility built.
“There’s a few well-to-do individuals in this city. One in particular, Brett Wilson. I don’t know if he’d be interested in participating in this little project or not. But I’d certainly throw his name out there as a potential participant in at least the discussions (…) on how you’d make this deal work.”
Chabot said there are examples of cities or citizens buying sports teams – citing the Green Bay Packers Football team – but that’s not what he’s proposing.
“I’m talking about building facilities for something that will contribute to the tourism of this city – put heads in beds, put people back to work, and create jobs,” he said.
Seattle is close to a deal that would see a privately-owned civic arena built completely with private funding.
Chabot thinks financial institutions and other investors would be all too happy to partner on a project like an arena. He said it could include a new football stadium or even soccer facilities, too.
Investors would get a return on the building, and the city could take back any investment through a ticket tax or a share of concessions.
As for how much money the city might put forward to help pay for such a project, Chabot thinks we can do better than the one third cost model the city pitched to the Flames.
“We could probably go beyond that financially if it’s a self-supporting debt,” said Chabot. “We can pretty much project what the total revenue is going to be and work that into the borrowing bylaw.”
The arena space would of course be made available to the Flames, Chabot said. They would still have ticket sales, merchandise sales, and other sources of income, just as they do with the city-owned Saddledome.
“I’m not going to suggest that I have all the ideas ironed out – I’m essentially throwing out an idea,” he said.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Andre Chabot says if he is elected he will find another private investor(s) besides the Flames to build the arena:

https://www.metronews.ca/news/calgar...ded-arena.html

Ha! It'll never happen. The Flames aren't going to take a deal where they aren't getting 100% of the revenues. They're looking for a handout not investors seeking a return on investment. I mean if they won't take a deal where the City gives them 185M and they only have to pay property tax they're not going to take a deal where they have to divide the revenue pie to a bunch of folk who want to make a profit.

That said I'd almost like to see it attempted... just to see Wilson reject what he's repped as a "fair" deal when he's the one proposed to pick up the tab.

[Ozy_Flame]

Pretty sure the Flames want more control than being just another player with other outside interests generating revenues and taking a slice.

And I love how he name-dropping Brett Wilson as an investor, then retracting it by saying they should consult Brett on how you'd make a deal work.

So Andre Chabot's idea is basically to go on Dragon's Den?

Oh and looky-looky, Brett Wilson contributed to Chabot's campaign.

Disgusting.

[You Need a Thneed]

If an arena deal isn’t made prior to a potential award if the 2026 Olympics to Calgary, an arena could pontentially be built 100% publicly, and that would pretty much force the Flames to accept whatever (reasonable) terms the city wanted in a lease.

Of course, that’s a lot of ifs, but it theoretically could happen. I do suspect that the Flames would become willing partners before it came to that though.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

If an arena deal isn’t made prior to a potential award if the 2026 Olympics to Calgary, an arena could pontentially be built 100% publicly, and that would pretty much force the Flames to accept whatever (reasonable) terms the city wanted in a lease.

Of course, that’s a lot of ifs, but it theoretically could happen. I do suspect that the Flames would become willing partners before it came to that though.

We built a fancy new arena and we're tearing down the dome. Rent is X, let us know if you're interested?

It would still probably make sense to partner, because the flames would likely kick in capital so they'd have a day on design (#of boxes, parking space for trucks on the concourse, etc)

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Locke

The Bill Smith stuff is funny as I was thinking about it on my way in to work today.

His slogan is: "Time for a Change."

Thats not a Policy thats just stating that he isnt Nenshi and that type of negative voting just for anyone who isnt the incumbent is pretty much exactly what landed us Trudeau, Notley and Trump.

So far negative voting of this nature has not gone outstandingly well.

Don't forget Stephen Harper.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Pretty sure the Flames want more control than being just another player with other outside interests generating revenues and taking a slice.

And I love how he name-dropping Brett Wilson as an investor, then retracting it by saying they should consult Brett on how you'd make a deal work.

So Andre Chabot's idea is basically to go on Dragon's Den?

Oh and looky-looky, Brett Wilson contributed to Chabot's campaign.

Disgusting.

Wilson has gone on record that he donated 5k to Smith and Chabot. He said if Nenshi asked he would give him 5k as well. I think he just wants the city to go in a positive direction. That being said I don't know how the nhl would look at an owner of another franchise partnered with another in a building deal. Would they even allow something like that?

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Robbob

That being said I don't know how the nhl would look at an owner of another franchise partnered with another in a building deal. Would they even allow something like that?

AEG (Kings' owner) owns half of the new building in Vegas.

[Robbob]

Do they still own the Kansas City building as welll? If so, makes you wonder if building are a bad investment why they are in on so mamy.

[getbak]

They don't own the Sprint Center, they're contracted to operate it for the city of KC, which owns it. Apparently, it's a pretty lucrative deal for AEG (not so much for the city).

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by 442scotty

I am somewhat of a fan of Brett Wilson and I have to agree with the comments he made this time around

I used to like Brett Wilson but its beyond clear he is only looking out for Brett Wilson. Shame on anyone for buying his drivel.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by Parallex

Ha! It'll never happen. The Flames aren't going to take a deal where they aren't getting 100% of the revenues. They're looking for a handout not investors seeking a return on investment. I mean if they won't take a deal where the City gives them 185M and they only have to pay property tax they're not going to take a deal where they have to divide the revenue pie to a bunch of folk who want to make a profit.

That said I'd almost like to see it attempted... just to see Wilson reject what he's repped as a "fair" deal when he's the one proposed to pick up the tab.

Not so sure, given current alternatives.
Putting up zero dollars has merit. Keeps HRR lower and allows investment income from what would otherwise have been no return on 100+M of arena money.

[CaramonLS]

770 mentioned today that there was a new survey out that showed a majority of Calgarians support building a new arena, but that the city should not providing any funding beyond land and a loan that should be repaid with interest. They mentioned the name of the survey group, but it escapes me.

Anyone have a link to that survey? I can't seem to find it.

[Old Yeller]

It was done by the Calgary Metro, only link I could find:

http://www.metronews.ca/news/calgary...al-survey.html